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Important Update: Town of Lunenburg Electric Utility Service Arrangement with Nova Scotia Power

Important Update: Town of Lunenburg Electric Utility Service Arrangement with Nova Scotia Power

The Town of Lunenburg is pleased to announce that we have entered into a service agreement with Nova Scotia Power for the operations and maintenance of the Town’s Electric Utility infrastructure. The arrangement is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2018 for a renewable five-year term and will provide a wide range of technical expertise to ensure a reliable and sustainable electricity supply. Lunenburg’s Electric Utility customers will benefit from a collaboration with a proven electric utility service provider, one with whom we have worked in past years on such system needs as poles, wires and substation. The Town will continue to own its Electric Utility and infrastructure, and customers will have continuity in service. All on site work will be carried out by Nova Scotia Power personnel with no change in the cost of electricity as a result of this arrangement.

This new technical service arrangement with Nova Scotia Power will enable us to meet the increasingly complex range of electrical expectations of our growing customer base. As we attract more businesses and help grow our economy, this collaboration will help the Town of Lunenburg Electric Utility remain cost-competitive and efficient.

We are working closely with our existing utility employees to ensure a smooth transition. We are very grateful to them for their service and dedication to the Town of Lunenburg’s Electric Utility and to all our customers.

Customers will receive their regular electricity bills as they always have. Any service requirements (such as connection or disconnection, or calling to report outages) will continue to be accessed by calling the Lunenburg Town Office (902) 634-4410, or our after-hours dispatcher at (902) 527-0150 or (902) 543-9193.

The Town of Lunenburg will continue to deliver all other municipal services.

Town of Lunenburg Electric Utility Service Arrangement with Nova Scotia Power – Questions & Answers

Why has the Town of Lunenburg decided to make this change?

It is an increasingly changing world and the future needs of our community can best be met by an electric utility specialist. Nova Scotia Power has a proven, diverse expertise in electric utility engineering, service and management; this is their core business. This new arrangement will enable us to meet the broader range of expectations our growing base of customers have, some of which are increasingly complex. There are additional environmental and workplace safety standards that also require specialized services. Nova Scotia Power has teams in place that deal solely with these matters to ensure compliance.

This arrangement is not unique - there is a growing trend towards inter-municipal service arrangements between governments and industry. We always value and seek ways to provide better services, and this collaboration provides the ideal opportunity for us to better serve our customers, and meet the future power demand and service needs of our expanding and resilient business sector.

Will we see rate increases?

There will be no increase in costs to our customers as a result of this arrangement. By accessing the expertise of Nova Scotia Power, we will benefit from their specializations, efficiency, and capacity to serve the growing needs of our customers.

How will things change for the customer who requires work to be done? Or bills to be paid?

Customer contact will stay the same and be managed by our current team (in-house). On site work will be carried out by Nova Scotia Power personnel. If a customer needs work to be done, such as service connection or disconnection, or to report outages, our team will continue to be accessed the same as always, by calling the Lunenburg Town Office (902) 634-4410, or our after-hours dispatcher at (902) 527-0150 or (902) 543-9193. Customers will receive their power bills as they always have.

How can we be assured that the outage response rate will be the same as, or better than that which the Town has typically provided? Will our hospitals, seniors’ homes, schools, businesses and private homes be given the priority they deserve?

We are assured that our essential services will be maintained the same as any other town or region in NS. Certain standards for outages and restoration times are set for Nova Scotia Power by the Provincial regulator, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB). Through our collaboration with Nova Scotia Power, we will have access to a diversified delivery system, with all the necessary experts and components - from substation engineers, distribution and transmission specialists, and environmental specialists – they offer a breadth of resources at the power line level that we cannot access in an extreme weather event.

How does this impact the Town’s operating control over its own infrastructure?

The Town still owns its electric utility. We are not selling any assets. This service arrangement allows the Town to meet the expectations of our customers. The future electric needs of our community can best be met by a company like Nova Scotia Power. They have a proven, diverse expertise in electrical engineering and management; this is their core business.